3 2 6 The Birth -Priviledge and Covenant- holinej Ch, 39 put her away. Matter Iombes anfwers , .My conjetiure was that poffibly the occafon of the Corinthians doubt refolved, i Cor. 7,r 13, 14. might follow upon tbaat which he had Written before to therm, 1 Cor. S, 9, to. Best how if this hold, the Apoftle mull Write to the Corinthians thus , If any brother bath a wife that is an Idolater, Fornicatour, a Drunkard or Extortioner, let him not put kor aWay, I cannot imagine. 'For neither cloth it follow, that if that parage mi_ niftred occafion of doubt about the one fort, viz. the unbelievers, it mug albo reife, doubt of necef ty about the other; wife men not always feeing the confequeut of that principle which they are pohfl with. And how comes it 1 wonder into his thoughts, that the Corinthians had wit to fee the confequence from his warning given of one fort of (inners, and\ of never a one of the other named with them ? He áddes, If they had the occafion of the doubt from i Cor. 5.9.. cloth it follow that the Apoftle mutt either knoll, that to have been the occafion, or refolve their doubt With reference to it I and if he did, yet there Was no nece ftty he fhould refolve it in like. manner concerning Fornicatours, as'ldolaters. If the Apoffle did not know it, how comes Matter Tombes to it ; did he want his Sagacity ? If he did know it there mull be a like neceflity of refolving the doubt in reference to this as any other, at which they fcrupled. And if they doubted of all; why is there a necefiity ofclearing one, and not all ? I adde farther; It muff needs be that the Apoffle takes in every part and piece of their fcruple. He anfwers, it is likely the Apo(le took in every part and piece of that Which Was pro- pounded to him as the Corinthians fcruple indeed ; but there Was no necefty he fhould take in every part of that which iWaFler Blake may imagine, would have been their fcruple if my conje55lure hold, But there was a neceffity to take in all that had the fame evident ground of fcruple, and which every rationall man (Mr. Tombes excepted) will not only with me imagine, but certainly conclude (Hoc fuppofito) muff be their fcruple. I farther adde, that the Apoffle taking in every part of their fcruple , the queffion about Divorce Ib much agitated, would have been determined. It is wonder that T. Howfon, Bonney, and others (that fay ¿l fifes per - miflìon to put away wives was in cafe of Adultery only ; The uncleanneffe or nakednefire.mentioned, Deut. 24. I. is Adutery, and now Divorcé lawful!,) could not have hit upon this Text. Matter Tombes letting alone my words, and leaving the Reader to
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